Using Zendesk Guide to redefine the user experience

charity: water’s mission is to bring clean and safe drinking water to every person in the world. Part of that mission is to deliver the best possible customer experience to every charity: water supporter.

And that experience needs to be the same across every interaction the supporter has with charity: water. As a non-profit organization, charity: water’s supporters are the top priority. “charity: water wouldn’t be where it is today without our supporters,” Supporter Experience Manager Kaitlyn Jankowski said. “We need to hear anything and everything they’re thinking about—whether it’s how much they like a video or if they wish something was different on our fundraising platform.”

“Customer service means everything to us,” Jankowski said. “Opening up a dialogue with our customers is the best part of my job. Customer service for us is key to the success of the organization, and having Zendesk Support help us do that is incredible.”

“At charity: water, our supporters are at the core of who we are. They make our work possible, and it’s important to us that we continually work to enhance their experience.”

“We personally respond to each inquiry. It’s not only important for us to respond, but it’s also what we love to do. Communicating with our supporters excites and inspires us every day, whether it’s talking about a fundraising campaign, our 100% model, or sharing our founding story.”

“We realize that sometimes the best experience is when information is easily found without the need to contact us directly,” Jankowski said. “This is why our help center was a priority for both our supporter experience and creative teams. Our design is simple and beautiful. It’s thoughtful, inviting, and powerful. And Zendesk Guide has allowed us to achieve all of these things.”

When customers do need to reach out for 1:1 support, the supporter experience team is ready. With tools like macros and user tags, the team ensures every interaction is fast, accurate, and on brand.

“Having the ability to talk to our customers anytime and keeping a running total of all the people we’re talking to is absolutely necessary. That’s what Zendesk Support lets us do, so we are a more effective organization,” Jankowski said.

“We’ll forever be working toward changing the face of customer service and making it more about an experience—an experience with our team, with our design, and through the stories we tell about the people we serve.”